The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-02

WASHINGTON, April 1.-The Interstate Com
mission met at their temporary quarters this
morning, but beyond reading the mail addressed
to the commission transs ctsd no business Of I'M
portance. Quite number of reports and letters
about rates have already been received by the
commission.
1--WE can't undertake 20 do anything else than
organize now" said Mr. Morrison this afternoon
'Of course. we might consider any proposition.
but we cannot perform the functions laid down
in the various sections of the act until after the
expiration of the sixty days"
The board may complete iss organization by
the 9th instant when the sixty-day limitation
will have expired, but there seems to be some
doubt even as to that There are twenty or
twenty five applicants for the Office of secretary.
and it is understood that great care will be used
in the selection Of this officer The secretary
ship, with its salary of $4,000, is
the principal position in the gift of
the commission, though possibly not
the most remunerstive. Railway experts will
have to be frequently employed who will COM
mand higher pay. The commissioners, really
Ing the great responsibility that will rest upon
the secretary. we'll the intimate relations
that must exist between the secretary and them
selves, will be in no hurry to make selection.
who has had long experience in railway affairs
as well an intimate knowledge o. railway
mon and methods, eau fill the requirements Of
the position. AS one commissioner expressed
it. 1--WE want the very best man we can get for
the money"
The Commissioners are economically inclined
Yesterday thew went from the Interior Depart
ment to the White House in the street cars
and this morning they were walking about the
city. A session within closed doors was held
this afternoon. but nothing of interest devel-
3ped Major s. A. Jones' OF the Interior De-
partment, is temporarily assigned to the COM
mission for clerical duty.
A Train Heated and Lighted without Fire.
New York sun.
The Boston express train that rolled into the
Forty -second-street station. at 1890 last evening"
pounded over the same rails that bear hundreds
OF trains daily, yet it was as much of pioneer
In its wav as was Peter Cooper's little locomor-
tive. With all the progress and improvement in
rolling stock since that successful experiment.. a
very conservative policy has governed the ar
engagements for heating and lighting cars. This
train, however, the latest production of the
Boston & Albany railroad shops at Allston, was
lighted By electricity and heated by steam
For the first time in the history of railroadine
the world over, complete train so Ugh ted and
heated has been successful run. President
Bliss and General Manager Barnes take no little
pride in the fact that they have ma de this
record, and convinced that they have set the
pace that all must follow.
The train on a regular run. leaving Bos-
ton at 3:30 P. NJ. and ii is there to stay. A few
weeks will see its mate, which sets out from New
York NJ the same hour, similarly equipped. AS
last as possible all the rollingsiock VIII be so
arranged. Other railroad managers who have
been looking on with great interest and with
equal patience while the Boston q Albany have
eXperlQentAt, N ~
following the example
Tne cars themselves are worthy of description,
though me wood work and cabinet finish are
not novelties. The baggage car smoker tive
passenger coaches and two drawino-room cars
all have the Roman arch roof which gives an
imposing exterior and interior effect The dark
mahogany finish that is uniform in the passen
ger cars would be, in the gloom of ordinarv kero
sene oil-lAmp lighting. too sornhre But there is
DO oil burring except in the headlight and the
twenty incandescent electric lamps that are
ranged in double rows along the high ceiling Of
the cars effectively light up the beautiful rnark
ings OF the natural wood Each light is Of sixteen
candle power, and the steady glow is fed fren tn,
storage batteries of the Julien system News
papers may be read with ease. and the cars ar,
cheerful and pleasant. There sixty storac,
cells to each car placed under the floor between
the trucks. and they may be charged with cleo
tricity while the train Is laid up a side. tract
in Boston. They will hold twelve hours sunpl,
OF the electric fluid, TO make the rount
trip to New FORK and return, and with time t
spare.
The steam heating device is what is known a
the Martin system and consists of an arrange
ment OF pipes which take live, dry steam from
the dome of the locomotive and conduct
through the cars so TO distribute the hea
thoroughly The distinctive features of tn
system are an automatic pressure regulating
Vaive on the engine, and controlling valves TO
each car from main pipe below the car so tina
the different ears may be kept at varying TEN
kratnres The wafer OF condensation is CARRIE
on by an automatic drip, and does not return I
the boiler. The live. dry steam is thus enable
TO do its perfect work,
HE cars were warmed yesterday on . yer